A wonderful food experience

We get you a peek inside the city’s newest restaurant

Mirabella means wonderful in Latin, and this newly-opened space in Andheri is just that. Amid the general chaos in the suburb, Mirabella gives the impression of an oasis — refreshing, complete with whitewashed walls, a trendy tented roof, hanging potted plants, palm trees dotting the space and colourful pillows for a relaxed feel. Replacing popular drinking hole, He Said She Said, Mirabella is divided into three sections on the ground floor (with more coming up on the upper floor).

We were the first to walk in on a rain-soaked Sunday morning, only to find the staff scampering about setting up business for the day. We waited for quite a bit before finally being able to order fresh pineapple and watermelon juice to silence the rumbling tummy.

When we did get our hands on the menu, the staff politely made suggestions. Unusually enough, we called for a Caesar Salad (Rs 290), packed with iceberg lettuce, grilled chicken and a tolerable amount of cheese shavings. The slightly soggy croutons were a pleasant addition. On recommendation, we tried the Mutton Galouti Kebab Sliders (Rs 350) that were nicely plated, for starters. Delicately spiced, the squishy kebabs served with raw mango Sum Tom and Tomato sprint chutney were devoured in no time. They were served on a small, round piece of bread that helped balance the spice quotient. The Mandeli Fish and Chips (Rs 150), a typical chakna item, didn’t quite cut it for us. Crispy (and somewhat smelly) fried fish, served with frozen fries is not our idea of fish ’n chips. We’ve had better. We hurriedly washed this down with the remaining fruit juice.

What came next did make up for the folly. The Jacket Potato Skins (Rs 220), stuffed with the sweetish Malabar Chicken, topped with cheese was quite the winner. Traditionally cooked with coconut milk, the Malabar Chicken give the potato jackets a distinct desi flavour.

The biggest plus point of Mirabella has to be the ultra quick service. Almost all the orders were at our table within 10 minutes of ordering, which is thoroughly impressive.

For the mains, we settled for the Pepperoni and Chicken Tikka Pizza (Rs 750). The chef was kind enough to heed our request for a half-and-half pizza. The result was a delectable, cheesy goodness on a crispy, thin crust and topped with cheese and olive oil. The pepperoni is slightly on the saltier side (something we like) and the chicken tikka is mildly spiced, never going overboard on taste. Easily one of the best pizzas we’ve had lately.

We tried to leave no trace of our gluttonous Sunday with Blue Heavens (Rs 250) and the cheekily named Peach Please (Rs 250), both of which were light and refreshing after the heavy meal. For dessert, we ordered the Darjeeling Tea Panacotta (Rs 300) and Japanese Cheesecake (Rs 350). While both the dishes came garnished with blueberry compote, they were strictly okay. The tender texture of the Panacotta makes it disappear in no time.

If you’re around Andheri, Mirabella is a must try. Rating: *** Cost for two: Rs 2,000 Address: Remi Bizcourt, Opposite Supreme Chambers, Veera Desai Road, Andheri Lokhandwala, Andheri (west)